TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH BREATHWORK
Using Breathwork, Neuroscience & Meditation
learn how to access the intelligence of your body to:
⚡️regulate your nervous system
⚡️reclaim your vitality
⚡️live life on purpose
Breathwork as a tool of Transformation
There has been a certain buzz around breathwork in recent years. With breathwork offerings, events, techniques and opportunities rising exponentially. Why all the attention? What has prompted such a surge of interest and curiosity in breathwork practices?
From our first inhale as we are birthed into this life, through to the final exhale, the breath is a golden thread that weaves the storyline between. Awake or asleep, the impulse to breathe fires rhythmically through it all. Yet, how often would you bring awareness to the rhythm and sensation of your breath?
The breath is often the first sign of change in the mind and body system. In a sense, it acts as the bridge between the conscious and subconscious processes of the body. Consider how your breath changes when you exercise, or when you are upset, feeling pain, in a state of fear or anger, ecstatic bliss or excitement. Learning to observe your breath offers insight into the state of your mind and body in different moments.
We can also leverage our breath, by taking conscious control of our breathing to alter the depth, rate and effort of the breath, triggering cascades of response patterns in the body that support healing and transformation. Learning specific techniques to best support the needs of your nervous system will support you to optimise your health and wellbeing, so you can feel vibrant, energised and balanced each day.
The breath is a tool that is available and accessible to anyone. Breathwork supports you to feel empowered to play an active role in your health and wellbeing. Present in every moment of this life, the breath anchors awareness into deeper trust, relaxation and safety in the body and the capabilities of this uniquely structured physical form.
Here at Pneuma Somatics, we are shining light on the intimate relationship between breath, body and awareness. Our mission is to inspire and empower you to live your most vibrant and fulfilled life. Merging modern science with ancient wisdom, we share tools and techniques to redefine how you relate to your inner and outer worlds, offering curated experiences of direct transformation using the breath.
what does a breathwork journey involve?
Altering our breath is associated with certain alterations in our physiology. One of the ways in which this occurs is by activating either the sympathetic or parasympatetic nervous systems.
Physiological changes that can occur with breathwork include :
+ Changes in heart rate and blood pressure
+ Release of hormones and neurotransmitters
+ Alterations to brain waves and brain circuity.
Breathwork is considered a “bottom-up” approach to healing and transformation. The focus is less on the mind and the stories, and more on the sensations and emotions in the body, through accessing the limbic system of the brain. All our sessions have a trauma-informed approach. We take the time to get to know you, what your nervous system needs, and how we can best support you on your journey of personal development and healing. There are opportunities to set intentions and to share what it is in your life you would like to work on, so that our sessions are tailored to you.
Private sessions may involve breathwork that activates the parasympathetic nervous system, to balance anxiety, overwhelm, restlessness and chronic stress in the body. Through to breathwork that activates the sympathetic nervous system, to introduce a therapeutic stressor to the nervous system in a safe environment, allowing the body and mind to resolve constrictions, limitations, suppressions and past events that are preventing us from living the life we dream of. By facing our limitations, we build resilience and apply personal effort to receive insights to the questions that we hold in our hearts.
For those new to breathwork, through to seasoned journeyers, we offer opportunities to dive deeper into this work through 1:1 sessions, small group journeys, recorded meditations, events and more. Follow through the navigations and links throughout these pages to explore current offerings. Sign up to our email list to be the first to know of upcoming events, and visit the offerings page to learn more about how we could work together.
I invite you to bring a sense of curiosity and openness to this work. I encourage you to balance intellectual research with direct practice, to recieve a clearer understanding if these techniques are right for you. To feel empowered to use peronal channels of discernment. To courageously trust in what resonates, and to leave behind what doesn't. To practice listening to inner truth and orientating to the inner compass.
Breathwork supports optimal health of mind, body & spirit
My mission as a breathwork guide is to empower and inspire clients to live a life that feels expansive, authentic, fulfilling and aligned with their highest values. I believe that everyone has the power to create positive change in their lives, and I am here to support you on your journey of personal growth and transformation.
Topics of exploration may include the nervous system, stress responses, coping mechanisms, limiting beliefs, the emotional system, shadow work, the inner child, and parts work. Practices include breathwork techniques that best support your needs, intentions and unique life experiences. Sessions may also include meditation and visualisation, somatic movement practices, tapping, toning and live music.
Signature Breathwork Journeys typically involve a 1 hour journey into the inner world through the breath. Using a conscious connected breathing technique, clients are guided to enter an altered state of awareness. Common experiences range from an awareness of sensations on the body, visions in the minds eye, realisations and insights about ones life or life purpose, release of suppressed emotions, transforming of beliefs, connecting with ones body, with the present moment, with love and gratitude for life itself.
Sessions are 2.5-3 hours, to allow for adequate preparation and integration. Integration practices may include journaling, movement and breathwork practices, time in nature and reflection.
Hi, i’m laura
For many years, I’ve been drawn to the language of the sciences. Initially pursuing a pathway of neuroscience and human physiology, later specialising in paramedicine and pursuing a career as a paramedic.
I found myself fascinated by the "challenge” of consciousness. What produces conscious awareness? Where is it located? Can we locate consciousness in a physical location in the brain, or in the circuits that fire around and between regions of the brain? As I gained more experiences serving and interacting in the community, my questions have continued to evolve. What influences individuals to make the choices they make? To create the life they live? What influences someone’s response to a perceived crisis or distressing experience? How can we build resilience in the nervous system to support the processing of trauma?
I’ve come to realise the need for balance, both personally and in the world around me. To balance the scientific and the rational, with the non-physical and esoteric. The mind and mental energy, with body intelligence and somatic awareness.
I have always had a great drive and curiosity to pursue new practices and expressions. Yoga taught me slow down enough to be in flow with my breath and body. Meditation reduced my anxiety and improved my mood and presence. Completing my first 10-day silent Vipassana retreat represented a significant commitment and capacity to sit with myself for extended periods of time. The deep practice simultaneously opened doorways of initiation of my consciousness, with direct experiences of expanded consciousness and non-physical phenomena. since then I have been experimenting with breathwork, cold showers and ice baths, and exploring the emerging science into alternative health and wellness modalities.
I began to witness and to reflect upon the belief systems that I held, my relationship to self judgement and criticism, the collective and social narrative I had adopted though my upbringing and environmental conditioning. I explored neurolonguistic programming through coaching. Similarly to my higher educational pursuits, I was trying to solve the challenges of consciousness through the mental plane. I began to shift my focus to a more holistic approach to health, addressing the mind, body snd spirit.
Along this journey, I have also felt drawn to learn more about the practices and wisdom of the Earth. How to expand one's presence and attunement with the natural core state of being, through connecting with the natural environments with the energy of Earth and the complexity of natural life forms. Seeking to spend move time in nature, quietly immersing in the natural expressions and cycles of life. Taking pauses from the fast paced modern world, from the man-made and artificial, so that I can access inner spaciousness and wisdom. Seeking out and learning through mentors and peers living in tune with their own innate intelligence.
The opportunity to complete a breathwork certification with Owaken Breathwork arrived at a synchronistic moment in my life. I feel grateful to have leant into the intuitive nudge, and to allow myself to be deeply tansformed through the process of the facilitation certification.
I feel grateful to be in a space to share these transformational breathwork offerings with the community.
For a great introduction to breathwork practices, I recommend the Owaken Daily Practice. You can try it out yourself over here.
" We all have this opportunity to offer something magnificent to this world …
A contribution that expresses fully our passion, our wisdom and our unique fractal perspective, with compassion, beauty, simplicity and authenticity "
